Photographic-printing frame.



No. 885,637. PATBNTED APR. 21, 1908.

, f J. NELSON...

PHOTOGRAPHIG .PRINTING FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. Z. 1906.

2 v Z ,@/ZOT UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE.

`TOSEPH NELSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CHICAGO PORTRAIT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS. A

PHOTOGRAPHIC-PRINTING FRAME.

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH NELSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented-a certain new and useful Improveinent in Photographic-Printing Frames, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates in general to the reproduction of pictures and more particularly to a frame for holding sensitized paper upon Which a print is to be made.

A well known method of reproducing pictures is to make a negative from the original picture, to insert such negative in a printing camera, and to expose sensitized paper to the light passing through the negative.

In making portraits or other reproductions ofpictures such as photographs, it is desirable that the back-ground of the reproduction should have a circular, oval or other attractive shape in order that its appearance may be improved. Heretofore it has been the usual practice to paste upon the negative a piece of paper having an o ening therethrough of the shape desired to e imparted to the background of the reproduced picture. The paper obstructs the passage of light through the ortion of the negative covered thereby so tiat the sensitized paper is affected only by the light passing through the uncovered ortion of the negative. This practice is ob- ]ectionable as it requires a different size or shape of opening in the paper for each size of picture which is to be reproduced. It is also frequently desirable in reproducing pictures to either suppress the back-ground of the original picture or to so diffuse the light passing to the sensitized paper as to produce a back-ground with a softened effect.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a printing frame for holding the sensitized paper in position to receive the light passing through a negative in a printing camera which will so protect the outer portion of the pa er from the light that a predetermined out ine may be imparted to the back-ground of the print.

A further object of my invention is to provide a printing frame for holding sensitized specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. August 2, 1906.

Patented April 21, 1908.

Serial No. 328,917.

paper in position to receive the light passing through a negative in a printing camera, which will also serve to support a diffusing plate in front of the paper to produce a background' on the print having a softened eii'ect.

A still further` object of my invention is to provide a photographic printing frame which will be simple inconstruction, comparatively inexpensive in manufacture and eHicient in use.

The embodiment of my invention herein disclosed may be generally described as consisting of a frame having a space to receive a piece of sensitized paper, a door hinged to the frame and having an opening therein of predetermined shape, and supports secured to the frame for holding a diffusing plate in front of the paper.

My invention will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing in which the same is illustrated as embodied in a convenient and practical form, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevational view; Fig. 2 a vertical sectional view on line 2 2 Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 a horizontal sectional view on line 3 3 Fig. 1.

The same reference characters are used to designate the same parts in the several iigures of the drawing.

Reference character A designates the back of the frame which may be made of any desired size and of any suitable material, such for instance as wood.

B designates a door movably secured to the back A of the frame in any suitable manner, as by means of hinges a. The door B has an opening l) therethrough of desired shape, preferably, however, oval.

Any suitable fastening device may be provided for retaining the door closed against the back of the frame, as 'for instance a resilient clasp a secured to the back A and having an opening therein adapted to surround a pin b secured to the edge of the door.

The inner surface of the door B is slightly countersunk to receive a piece of sensitized paper c. A back C is also preferably located within the recess within the door to securely hold the paper in place when the door is closed against the back of the frame.

- GuidesD and D2 are secured to the upper and lower portions of the door B. These guides may be of any desired eonstruetion and are adapted to support a frame E which surrounds and holds a diffusing plate F,

The diffusing plate F may conveniently be formed of glass and has portions thereof, as f andfz, rendered substantially opaque in any suitable manner.

The operation and manner ef using my improvement are as follows. The piece of sensitized pa er is interposed between the back A'of the rame and the door B. The door overlies the outer portion of the paper so that only a portion thereof corresponding to the opening in the doorvwill be exposed to the light. The frame containing the sensitized paper is placed in proper focus in front of a printing camera containing the negative of a picture which is to be reproduced. The light passing through the negative acts upon the sensitized paper making a print corresponding to the original picture, but of a size depending upon the focus of the camera. The portion of the paper which is covered by the door of the frame is unaffected by the light so that the resulting print has a back-ground of a shape conforming to the opening through the door.

When it is desired to modify the background of the original picture the diffusing plate F is supported between the guidesrD and D2 in front of the sensitized aper. The substantially opaque portions ofD the diffusing plate partially obstructs the assage of light to the under-lying portions of) the paper thereby producing a back-ground having a softened effect.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that I have invented an'i'mproved frame for use in reproducing ictures by rneans of which the desiredout ine may be imparted to the back-'ground of the print without securing to the negative a piece of paper conforming to the outline desired to be viven the background of the print. It Will e further observed that my improved printing frame also serves to support a diffusing plate infront of the sensitized paper so as to soften the back-ground or to suppress portions of the back-ground of the original picture.

t Having now fully described my invention, whatI claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In combination, a printing frame, a door hinged to said frame and overlying it, there being a space between said door and frame to receive and hold a sensitized sheet, said door having an opening therethrough corresponding in shape to the contour of the background desired to be imparted to the print, guides on said doorand a diffusing l late arranged in said guides and covering t 1e opening through the door, said door and frame being so related to each other that whenthe sensitized sheet is inserted and the door is closed against the frame the sheet is securely clamped in place.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH NELSON. Witnesses C. E. SHEPARD, E. H. WALKER. 

